Cotter-pin.



J. A. GERMONPREZ.

GOTTER PIN.

APPLIOATION FILED FBBJ, 1911.

Patented July 4, 1911.

To all 'whom it may concern UNITED STATES PATENT oEErcE.

JOHN A. GERMONPREZ, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

COTTER-PIN.

Be itknown that I, JOHN A. GERMON- rREz, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayneandState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotter-Pins, ofwhich the following is -a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention relates to an improved cotter or split pin and its object is to so form su'ch a pin that when it is driven into an opening through a rod. or shaft, its projecting ends will automatically spread apart and hold the tached.

To this end the invention consists in the pin against being accidentally dematters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the claim reference belng1 had to the accompanying drawing in whic Figure 1 is a perspective View of a split` pinembodying the invention; Fig. 2`is an edge elevation of the same;4 and Fig. 3 is a like view showing the pin in place within an opening through a shaft.

Cotters or split ins of this character are commonly used as fore-locks for bolts, shafts etc., to hold the same against longitudinal movement or to hold other parts in place -upon the shaft or rod, and these pins are usually formed, as is the one embodying the present invention, of -a length of rod or wire which is bent intermediate its ends into an eye with parallel arms extending laterally from the eye to pass through a transverse `hole in a rod or shaft. As commonly formed,

, the laterally-extending arms lie in contact throughout their length so that the key may be slipped through the hole in the shaft, but it is then necessary to insert a tool between the projecting ends and spread the same apart to lock the key in place.

In the construction shown in the drawing, a cotter pin is formed from a single piece of metal rod, bar or wire which is bent intermediate its ends into an open loo or eye 1 with arms 2 extending laterally om the open side. of the loop, said arms converging toward their outer end portions 3,

which end portions lie in contact with each Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 7, 1911.

Patented July Serial No. 607,065.

other or nearly so, so that said ends may be readily inserted in an opening 4: in a rod or shaft 5. When so inserted, the pin may be driven through the opening and the sides of the connecting portions 2 of the arms, coming in contact with the sides of the opening, will forcethe arms toward each other, closing the loop. Vhen fully driven in, the end portions 3 of the arms will project through the shaft and, owing to the bends 6 which are formed in the arms at the meeting of their portion 2 and 3, said-projecting end portions 3 will spring apart and thus automatically lock the Cotter within the opening in the shaft without the necessity for inserting a tool between the ends and spreading them apart. If .it is desired to further insure the securing of the pin in place, the end portions 3 may-be readily further bent without inserting a tool between the ends, as they spring a art as soon as projected through the hole 1n the shaft.

' The fore-lock or split pin is shown in the drawings as made from a wire or rod fiattened at its inner side but I do not wlsh to limit myself to theform of material from which the pin is made, and obviously each of said arms meeting at anangle to each other, said angles forming a fulcrum on which the contacting arms rock when the inner portions of the arms are forced toward each other. f

JOHN A. GERMONPREZ. Witnesses: y

C. R. STICKNEY, A. M. SHANNON. 

